Universal Orlando Getting Bigger, Better, Wetter, Wilder

[Disneyhead'71]

I actually enjoyed the mine train more than Gringotts. New fantasyland is a huge improvement on old fantasyland. Love beast restaurant, dumbo is much improved, and while mermaid has flaws it is still a solid fantasy land dark ride

I'm sure you did. You love, Love, LOVE all things Disney. And you don't like Universal. Quality isn't a sticking point for your passion.

 

[Marlins1]

I enjoy Uni a lot and love to stay at the Hard Rock but when leave I am good for two years and so are my wife and daughter. By the the time we leave WDW we have already figured out which resort we are staying at in about six months.

 

[Tony Perkis]

Also the Hogwarts Express needs to be accessible to one park patrons.

Why? Because you're cheap, or just argumentative?

 

[Tony Perkis]

I enjoy Uni a lot and love to stay at the Hard Rock but when leave I am good for two years and so are my wife and daughter. By the the time we leave WDW we have already figured out which resort we are staying at in about six months.

Hopefully that resort is off site.

 

[squidward]

Why? Because you're cheap, or just argumentative?

 

[Marlins1]

Always on site - WDW or Uni I like to stay in the bubble,

 

[SJN1279]

I'm sure you did. You love, Love, LOVE all things Disney. And you don't like Universal. Quality isn't a sticking point for your passion.

No I like Universal as well. I think it is lacking in family attractions, but has a lot of fun pay areas for kids. I think it is a shame that you need a park hopper to experience their best family attraction to date.

I just don't think that Universal will surpass Disney. Potter was their shot to make a dent, and they didn't. Their over reliance on screens is getting old as well.

 

[SJN1279]

Why? Because you're cheap, or just argumentative?

Because I tend to visit Orlando a weekend at time. Either two days at Disney, or one day Disney/one day Universal. Buying a hopper for Universal just is an added expense that isn't needed.

I can be cheap and argumentative though...lol

 

[squidward]

No I like Universal as well. I think it is lacking in family attractions, but has a lot of fun pay areas for kids. I think it is a shame that you need a park hopper to experience their best family attraction to date.

I just don't think that Universal will surpass Disney. Potter was their shot to make a dent, and they didn't. Their over reliance on screens is getting old as well.

This shows one of two things:

1.Denial
2.Ignorance

Universal has made a MASSIVE dent in Disney's "lead". Magic Kingdom's attendance rose about 3% last year. The other 3 parks remained flat. Universal's attendance rose about 14%. I don't want to ask if anyone here is a math teacher, but this is indeed, making a dent.

If you think Hogwarts Express is their best family attraction, then you clearly haven't experienced many of their attractions.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

This shows one of two things:

1.Denial
2.Ignorance

Universal has made a MASSIVE dent in Disney's "lead". Magic Kingdom's attendance rose about 3% last year. The other 3 parks remained flat. Universal's attendance rose about 14%. I don't want to ask if anyone here is a math teacher, but this is indeed, making a dent.

If you think Hogwarts Express is their best family attraction, then you clearly haven't experienced many of their attractions.

Well, HE is an amazing attraction. And it is the only actual moving attraction that allows lap sitting for infants. I just believe, that for most people, the 2 park pass requirement isn't an issue. Either they already have multi-day passes or APs. The one day/one park pass already wasn't a big seller. They are mostly used as give-aways to convention goers.

 

[ford91exploder]

This shows one of two things:

1.Denial
2.Ignorance

Universal has made a MASSIVE dent in Disney's "lead". Magic Kingdom's attendance rose about 3% last year. The other 3 parks remained flat. Universal's attendance rose about 14%. I don't want to ask if anyone here is a math teacher, but this is indeed, making a dent.

If you think Hogwarts Express is their best family attraction, then you clearly haven't experienced many of their attractions.

Family attraction != Toddler Friendly Ride

 

[squidward]

Just to put the "Universal hasn't made a dent" comment into greater light, since 2007, the attendance increase at Univeral's 2 parks has tripled the attendance increase at Disney's 3 parks besides the Magic Kingdom. If that's not making a dent, please, tell me what is.

 

[squidward]

Well, HE is an amazing attraction. And it is the only actual moving attraction that allows lap sitting for infants. I just believe, that for most people, the 2 park pass requirement isn't an issue. Either they already have multi-day passes or APs. The one day/one park pass already wasn't a big seller. They are mostly used as give-aways to convention goers.

I agree about the 1 park passes.

Honestly, I didn't care a whole lot for HE. The theme is wonderful, but unless there was only a short wait, I wouldn't bother. Truth be told, I didn't care much for Gringotts. But I think it's more than just the rides themselves. If we were basing both parks on rides alone, Universal would win hands down. There are so many crappy rides at Disney, it's embarrassing. The Magic Kingdom will always win in the nostalgia department. And there's no comparison between Dudley Do Right's visuals and Splash Mountain's. And though Animal Kingdom is lacking in attractions, the park itself is an absolute wonder of beauty.

There ARE many things Disney does better. One example of where Universal fails is Dr. Dooms Fearfall. While the ride itself doesn't compare to ToT, the real problem is in the disgusting mess it is. I have NEVER seen a que or ride in need of a cleaning as bad as that one. It simply bewilders me.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I agree about the 1 park passes.

Honestly, I didn't care a whole lot for HE. The theme is wonderful, but unless there was only a short wait, I wouldn't bother. Truth be told, I didn't care much for Gringotts. But I think it's more than just the rides themselves. If we were basing both parks on rides alone, Universal would win hands down. There are so many crappy rides at Disney, it's embarrassing. The Magic Kingdom will always win in the nostalgia department. And there's no comparison between Dudley Do Right's visuals and Splash Mountain's. And though Animal Kingdom is lacking in attractions, the park itself is an absolute wonder of beauty.

There ARE many things Disney does better. One example of where Universal fails is Dr. Dooms Fearfall. While the ride itself doesn't compare to ToT, the real problem is in the disgusting mess it is. I have NEVER seen a que or ride in need of a cleaning as bad as that one. It simply bewilders me.

I wouldn't be surprised if Dr. Doom's is removed in the near future.

 

[NJBrandon]

I was going to comment on the asinine post about Potter not making a dent, but you guys seem to have covered it well.

Jason Garcia(from the OS) had a great article about a year ago about Disney losing market share because of Potter. Guess Disney sycophant missed that one.

Disney World's share of Orlando theme-park traffic shrank from 74.9 percent in 2009, the year before the first Wizarding World debuted, to 71.3 percent in 2012, the most recent year for which figures are available. SeaWorld's share dropped from 9.1 percent to 7.9 percent.

Universal's piece of the pie, meanwhile, grew from 16 percent to 20.8 percent during the same period.

Driven almost entirely by Universal's growth, total Orlando attendance rose 7.2 percent, from 63.5 million in 2009 to 68 million in 2012. Disney World's attendance grew modestly during the period, while SeaWorld's declined.

BTW, I'd wager to bet it's even higher than 20.8% now.

 

[hopemax]

And we have to remember we have no "post Diagon Alley" numbers yet. The growth so far is all Hogsmeade, Transformers, other improvements. The 2014 numbers should be out soon and we know profits were excellent. But since it was only open half a year, we need to revisit the impact in 2016 when the 2015 numbers hit.

 

[mahnamahna101]

No I like Universal as well. I think it is lacking in family attractions, but has a lot of fun pay areas for kids. I think it is a shame that you need a park hopper to experience their best family attraction to date.

I just don't think that Universal will surpass Disney. Potter was their shot to make a dent, and they didn't. Their over reliance on screens is getting old as well.

Considering the average 5 yr old is 40", most kindergarteners can do:

1. Cat in the Hat (36")
2. Seuss Trolley (40")
3. 1F2FRFBF
4. Caro-Seuss-El
5. If I Ran the Zoo
6. Oh the Stories You'll Hear
7. Storm Force
8. Spidey (40")
9. Me Ship the Olive
10. Pteranodon Flyers (36")
11. Discovery Center
12. Camp Jurassic
13. Flight of the Hippogriff (36")
14. Ollivanders (both parks)
15. Frog Choir/Triwizard Spirit Rally
16. Poseidon's Fury
17. Mystic Fountain
18. Eighth Voyage of Sinbad
19. Despicable Me (40", also stationary seating for infants/toddlers)
20. Shrek
21. Transformers (40")
22. Twister
23. Blues Brothers on Stage
24. Disaster
25. Beetlejuice
26. Hogwarts Express (for both parks)
27. Carkitt Market Stage
28. Fear Factor
29. Simpsons Ride (40")
30. Kang and Kodos
31. Animal Actors
32. E.T. (34")
33. Curious George
34. Barney
35. Fievel
36. Nuthouse Coaster (36")
37. T2 3D
38. Lucy
39. Cinematic Spectacular
40. Superstar Parade

So a kindergarterner on average can do 40 out of Universal's 51 attractions. By age 8, you can on average do 47 out of Universal's 51 attractions.

When you say Universal isn't family-friendly, you mean they don't focus too much on infants and toddlers. However, Universal has plenty for elementary-schoolers. In fact, age 7 is the perfect time to visit Universal Orlando since at 44", most 7 yr olds can ride everything except the most intense attractions.

And if it makes you feel better (about future Universal Orlando family attractions):

the new Kong E-ticket is supposed to have no height requirement
Jurassic Park appears to be getting some family-friendly additions
Whenever Seuss gets an expansion, that'll be kid-friendly
KidZone's revamp/expansion
Likely some small additions unbeknownst to us

Universal is working on the all-ages additions. However, I agree with you that there needs to be more lap sitting/lower height requirements. Seuss Trolley should be reworked/altered to have either a 32" height requirement or none at all. Cat should be all-ages, with infant lap sitting allowed. E.T. should bring back the spaceship vehicles that allowed for no height requirement and also infant lap sitting.

Add 3-4 all-ages dark rides to the resort, along with some flat rides and a few family coasters... you've got the younger demos covered.

I agree about the 1 park passes.

Honestly, I didn't care a whole lot for HE. The theme is wonderful, but unless there was only a short wait, I wouldn't bother. Truth be told, I didn't care much for Gringotts. But I think it's more than just the rides themselves. If we were basing both parks on rides alone, Universal would win hands down. There are so many crappy rides at Disney, it's embarrassing. The Magic Kingdom will always win in the nostalgia department. And there's no comparison between Dudley Do Right's visuals and Splash Mountain's. And though Animal Kingdom is lacking in attractions, the park itself is an absolute wonder of beauty.

There ARE many things Disney does better. One example of where Universal fails is Dr. Dooms Fearfall. While the ride itself doesn't compare to ToT, the real problem is in the disgusting mess it is. I have NEVER seen a que or ride in need of a cleaning as bad as that one. It simply bewilders me.

Since it's rumored Doom and the Carnage Warehouse might be axed for a Marvel expansion, it's obvious Comcast recognizes how Six Flags the Fearfall really is compared to the rest of IOA

 

[NJBrandon]

So I was curious and just did the calculations for 2013(since Jason's article used 2012 numbers and 2014 numbers aren't out yet) and Universal had another good jump in market share in 2013.

MK + AK + EPCOT + DHS = 50,125,000

IOA + USF = 15,203,000

Sea World = 5,090,000

Total = 70,418,000

Disney Market Share = 71.2%(-0.1%)

Universal Market Share = 21.6%(+ 0.8%)

Sea World Market Share = 7.2%(-0.7%)

Source: 2013 TEA Attendance

 

[squidward]

What is the Carnage Warehouse?

It's too bad about Doom. Because of it's height, it's an icon. All it really needs is a thorough cleaning.

 

[SJN1279]

Well, HE is an amazing attraction. And it is the only actual moving attraction that allows lap sitting for infants. I just believe, that for most people, the 2 park pass requirement isn't an issue. Either they already have multi-day passes or APs. The one day/one park pass already wasn't a big seller. They are mostly used as give-aways to convention goers.

What do you classify not a big seller? I heard that at least 25 percent of Universal theme park goers at a 1 day, 1 park pass. If you go by 2013 numbers:

Islands of Adventure was 8.1 million
Universal Studios Florida 7.1 million

IOA had a big jump when Potter 1 opened, Universal Studios not so much.